What are the custom clearance procedures in Saudi Arabia?

What are the custom clearance procedures in Saudi Arabia?

Clearing the customs in Saudi Arabia is difficult since the Saudi Customs rules are very stringent. The Saudi customs authority makes it mandatory and allows exporting into Saudi Arabia only when all the SASO standards are met. If everything is not in order then the clearance will not be provided by the authorities. There have been cases where slight errors have led to rejection by the customs department. It is thus important to follow the rules laid down by the SASO Certificate Saudi Arabia strictly and know the procedures in advance to avoid any last-minute hassles and unnecessary wastage of money.

Customs declaration

The customs declaration needs to be registered with the authority along with the permission, relevant documents and all the specified requirements. Failing to do this will lead to the rejection of the Saudi Exports.

Cargo inspection

The goods are inspected by the authorities and they make it a point to check the details very minutely. The authorities check the goods as per the standards laid down on the SASO certificate and also check if the goods meet all the guidelines. If the cargo does not meet the procedures and if there are any violations then the entire lot gets rejected leading to a huge loss of money. All the goods need to oblige with the SASO standards PDF.

Customs value analysis and calculation

The entire cargo is analysed and the customs value for the whole lot if calculated. This is not the final estimation of the duties since the good proceeds for further clearance through the Saudi customs.

Goods classification

In this stage, the cargo is then categorised as per their characteristic. This determines the final fees of the cargo that needs to be paid at the customs.

Prohibited goods implementing provisions

In case during the classification stage, some goods fall under the prohibited category as per the COC certificate, then in such circumstances, appropriate provisions are implemented on them by the authority.

Applicable duties payment

The next stage in the process is the reassessment of the cargo which is followed by the calculation of final customs duty and fees payable. The payments and charges are applicable in the calculation. The concerned party is then informed about the final payment. He needs to disburse the same to the customs department. The goods are then released by the customs authority of Saudi Arabia.

Goods release

This is the final stage in the full procedure. Here the goods are released to the concerned person and the cargo reaches the final destination. The cargo should be accompanied with complete documents and any supporting information. This will make the customs clearance faster.

Exports into Saudi Arabia are difficult and also very tough. It is important that all the procedures are known in advance and complete care is taken to adhere to all the rules that are laid down by the Saudi government related to importing goods into the country.